Method and apparatus for treating fabrics with liquid



Oct. 7, 1930. G, w. LANE 1,777,989

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TRE-ATING FABRICS WITH LIQUID Filed Feb. 7, 1929 2 sheets-sheet 1 W enige W. Lime,

oct. 7,1930. G- W, LANE 1,777,989

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING FABRICS W'ITH LIQUID Filed Feb. 7, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L ATTORNEY tion of each pass.

Patented Oct. 7, 193() UNITED STATES PATEN'D -oFFICE GEORGE W. LANE, oECLrE'roN, NEW JERSEY, AssreNoR To VAN VLAANDEREN MA- CHINE COMPANY, or rArERsoN, NEW JERSEY, A coRroRArroN oE NEW JERSEY METHOD AN D APPARATUS FOR TREATIN G FABRICS WITH LIQUID Application led February 7, 1929. Serial No. 338,086.

This invention relates to apparatus for passing fabrics in rope orm or other lengthy textile materials lengthwise through dye or other liquid, and especially apparatus of this class in which the material is repeatedly passed through the liquid, the progress of the repetition being transversely of the direc- Among the objects at which I aim are that the travel of the material, arranged in a horizontal succession of coils, shall be lengthwise of itself successively through separate compartments and always from one to the next without interference by their separating wall or partition and with the minimum oi' rubbing contact; that if flow of the liquid be allowed through each compartment and from one to the next such flow Vthrough any one compartment shall be lengthwise ot' the goods and, as preferred, in the direction of travel ofthe material therethrough, thus to avoid disturbance and -possible snarling or congestion; and that the iiow from compartment to compartment shall nevertheless be oppositely to the direction of progress of the material romcompartment to compartment, whereby, for example Yin washing, the unwashed goods shall enter the soiled liquid irst but in leaving leave the clean li uid. Y

In th drawing, Fig. 1 is a plan of one form of Vapparatus yembodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2 2, Fig.- 1; Fig. 3 is a side elevation; Figs. 4 and 5 are fragmentary elevations of partitions seen in Figs. l and 2;

Fig. 6 is a plan of anotherrform; Fig. 7 a section on line 7 7, Fig. 6; Fig. 8 a fragmentary section on line 8 8, Fig; 6; and l Fig.- 9 a side elevation of what is shown in Fi 6.

Figs. 1 to 5.-Let l denote a vat open at the top, as usual,`2 and 3 -designates two sets of4 partitions alternating with each other and extending up from the ibottom of the vat to more or less near its top. The two sets reach respectively from opposite sides of the vat and have their ends 2? 3a turned off all in the same direction so that each such end 2av or 3a abuts a partition 3 or 2. Considered apart,

Aeach partition viewed in plan is bent so that its end portions or legs are angularly related to each other. Thus the vat comprises a series of compartments 4.-5 having extensions 4a- 5a reaching lengthwise of the series in the same direction, each extension 4a being at one side of the series and laterally opposed to an adjoining compartment and each extension 5a being at the other side of the series and laterally opposed to an adjoining compartment 4, the term laterally opposed being as here used taken to mean with respect to the series.

Let 6 designate supports for horizontal guides' 7 for the material A to be treated. (They may be ordinary cylindrical reels, or oval reels as in Fig. 9.) The material A according'to this inventionA is trained over one guide then under and around and so over the other guide and then under the first guide, and so on repeatedly, the stretches of each coil or volute of the material between the guides hanging down in the vat, and it will be noted that each coil is crossed between the guides; this manner of training the material in coils or volutes (each having its stretches between the guides crossed) is effected so that the succession or repetition of coils progresses longitudinally of the guide, or as will appear, extends transversely of the travel of the material through the vat. The material, according to the usual practice, may-be caused to travel through the ,vat by rotating one or both the guides-preferably, ofv course, both ,guides which then should best rotate reversely as shown by the arrows in Fig; 3, 7a being a crossed-belt-and-pulley system yconnecting them. n

Now, if the guides with the material trained around the same as shown and just described be combined with a vat constructed substantially as I have described and so that the guides extend lengthwise of its series of compartments the material may be made to travel through the compartments one after another without any interference by the bent-off end of any partition, and with liquid in the vat there will be substantially no rubbing or other contact of the material therewith. (Such a cording to the usual arrangement, the

stretches were not crossed.

The liquid in the vat may be quiescent,- or non-flowing. But in certain operations, as

' tin-washing, phosphating and phosphatewashing, it is kept flowing. It should be noted that according to this invention as shown and described both stretches of any coil or volute,'in themselves traveling in opposite directions, are in the vat-thus distinguishing from the ordinary or uncrossed arrangement of the material in which only the lower stretch is in the vat-and that those travelling in one direction are in the alternate compartmentsv and those travelling in the opposite direction are in the remaining compartments.Y This makesv ity possible to provide forv flo-w of the liquid successively through the'compartments and ineach longitudinally of the stretch of the material therein, so that just as the travel of the material is first in one direction through one compartment, then in the opposite direction through the next compartment and then in the first direction through the next compartment, and so on, the flow of the liquid may be likewise, or either against or with the travel of the material in all the compartments, with the advantage in the latter case of avoiding snarling and disturbance of the material. Of course the iiow might begin at the same end of the vat at which the material enters (or at the top of Fig. 1). But I prefer to enter the liquid at the opposite end in some instances (notablywashing) so that the progress of the flow successively through the compartments will be opposite to that of the material successively through them and the washed goods will finally emerge from clean wash.- ing liquid. The drawings (Figs. 1 to 5) show the valved liquid inlet 8 entering the compartment 4 at the end of the vat opposite that at which the material enters and the outlet 9 at the other end, (which outlet may be a goose-neck to maintain the liquid in the vat at a suitable level and have a valved means 9a for drawing olf the liquid). A iiow responding to all the conditions specied above by way of example will be maintained if at the right in Fig. 1 all the partitions 3 and at the left all the partitions 2 have ports 10-11, respectively, affording liquid communication between the compartments, the former (l0) being at the tops and the latter (l1) at the bottoms of the partitions so as to insure all solid matter being carried along and finally evacuated. The long horizontal arrows in Fig. 1 indicate the direction of the fabric travel and the short horizontal arrows that of the liquid flow; the vertical arrow at the left and right indicates the direction of progress of the material andof the flow, respectively, rom compartment to compartment. Figs. Q to 9.--In some cases it may be desired to evacuate sections of the vat independently. Thus in Figs. 6 to 9 each such section (here comprising only one compartment) has its own inlet 12 and outlet, the latter consisting of a well 13 having adrain-hole 14 at the bottom and being formed by a dam 15 which joins the two partitions iianking the compartment but is lower than the same. Ports of communicationbetween any two such sections or receptacles thus formed are in this case omitted. v At 16 is shown the usual roller Which bears on one of the reels to squeeze out the surplus liquid fromth'e material 'before it issues from the apparatus.

One advantage in providing two guides around which the coils of the material ex,-

tend, each crossed, is that if the guides be rotated reversely they will influence the goods uniformly: for instance, if the guides are oval reels,so that they act to pile the goods in pleats as indicated at 18 in Fig. 9 there will be equal lengths of goo-ds as between one reel and a pile on the one hand and the other reel and pile on the other.

I-Iaving thus fully described my invention, what I claim is:

' 1. In combination, a horizontal series of open-top liquid compartments respectively having extensions reaching lengthwise of the series in the same direction, the extension of each alternate compartment being at one side of the series and laterally opposed to an adjoining compartment and the extension ot each of the other compartments being at the other side of the series and also laterally opposed to an adjoining compartment, and spaced guides above and extending lengthwise of the series and around which each length of textile material to be treated, travelling lengthwise of itself, is adapted to extend in a successionotl coils progressing longitudinally of the series with each coil crossed between the guides and its stretches between said guides extending into said compartments.

2. In combination, an open-top liquid receptacle having a partition formed in plan with two legs angularly related to each other,

ysaid partition separating the contained liquid into two bodies, and a guide around which each length of textile material to be treatedv travels lengthwise of itself first in one direction through one liquid body and longitudinally of one leg of said partition and then in the other direction through the other liquid body and also longitudinally of said leg, said guide `being arranged above and extending transversely of said leg.

3. The method of treating a lengthy piece of textile material with liquid which consists in 'training the same around a pair of substantially horizontal and parallel guides in coils arranged in a succession extending `lengthwiseof the guides and each coil being crossed betweenv the guides and having its stretches between the guides depending therefrom and thereupon advancing saidv piecel lengthwise of itself around the guides and While the various stretchesv are immersed in liquld. v

4. The method of treating a lengthy pie-ce lof textilematerial with liquid which contherefrom and thereupon advancing sai piece lengthwise of' itself around the guides and while the various stretches are immersed respectively7 in a succession of liquid bodies below the guides.

5. The'method-of treating a lengthy piece of textile material with liquid which consists in training the same around a pair of substantially horizontal and parallel guides in coils arranged in a succession extending lengthwise of the guides and each coil being crossed between the guides and having its stretches between the guides depending therefrom and thereupon advancing said piece lengthwise of itself around the guides and while the various stretches are immersed respectively in a succession of liquid bodies below the guides each flowing lengthwise of the stretch therein.

6. The method of treating a lengthy piece of textile material with liquid which consists intraining the same around a pair of substantially horizontal andrparallel guides in coils arranged in a succession extending lengthwise of the guides and each coil being crossed between the guides andhaving its stretches between the guides depending therefrom Iand thereupon advancing `said piece lengthwise of itself around the guides and while the various stretches are immersed respectively in a successionl of liquid bodies below the guides each flowing lengthwise of the stretch therein and to the next liquid body in succession.

7. The method of treating a lengthy piece of textile material with liquid which consists in training the same around a pair of substantially horizontal and parallel guides in coils. arranged in a succession 'extending' lengthwise of the guides and each coil being crossed between the 'guides'Pr and having its stretches between the guides depending therefrom and thereupon advancing said piece' lengthwise of itself around lthe guides and while the various stretches are immersed re'- spectively in a succession of liquid bodies below the guides each flowing in the direction of advance of the stretch therein.

8. The method of treating a lengthy piece of textile materialfwith liquid which consists in training the same around a pair of substantially horizontal and parallel guides in coils arranged in a succession extending lengthwise of the guides and each coil being crossed between the guides and having its stretches between the guides depending therefrom and thereupon advancing said piece lengthwise of itself around the guides and while the various stretches are immersed respectively in a succession ofliquid bodies below the guides each flowing in the direction of advance of the stretch thereinVv and to the next liquid body in succession.

9. The method of treating a lengthy piece of textile material with liquid which'consists in training the same around a pair of substantially horizontal andsparallel guides in coils arranged in a succession extending 4lengthwise of the guides and each coil being crossed between the guides and having its stretches between the guides depending therefrom and thereupon advancing said piece lengthwiseof itself around the guides and while the various stretches are immersed the material lengthwise of itself and so that Y all lthe respective stretches travel through a succession of liquid bodies.

11. The method of treating a lengthy piece of textile material with liquid which consists in maintaining a substantially horizontal suc cession of back-and-forth-'extending stretches of said material and meanwhile -advancing the material lengthwise of itself andso that all the respective stretches travel through a succession of liquid bodies and causing each body to flow lengthwise of the stretch therein.

12. The method of treating a lengthy piece of textile material with liquid which consists in maintaining a substantially horizontal sliccession of back and forth extending stretches of said material and meanwhile advancing the material lengthwise of itself and so that all the respective stretches travel through a succession of liquid bodies and causing each body to flow lengthwise of the stretch, therein and to the next body in succession.

of textile materialv with liquid which consists in maintaining a substantially horizontal suc- 13. The method of treating a lengthy piece cession of back-and-forth-extending stretches of said material and meanwhile advancing the material lengthwise of itself and so that lall the respective stretches travel through a succession of liquid bodies and causing each body to iiow in the direction of advance of the stretch therein.

14. The method of treating a lengthy piece of textile material with liquid which consists vancing the material lengthwise of itself and soy that all the respective stretches travel through a successionof liquid bodies :and causing` flow through the succession of bodies relatively contrary to-the direction in which the material is advanced with respect to said succession of bodies.

16. The method of treating a lengthy piece of textile material with liquid `which consists in maintaining a substantially horizontal succession of back-and-forth-extending stretches of said material and meanwhile advancing the material lengthwise of itself and so that stretches thereof travel through a succession of liquid bodies and causing each body to flow lengthwise of the stretch therein. l

17. The method oftreating alengthy piece of textile material with liquid which consists in maintaining a substantially -horizontal succession of back-and-forth-e'xtending stretches of said material and meanwhile advancing the material lengthwise of itself and so that stretches thereof travel through a succession of liquid bodies' and' causing each body to flow lengthwise of the stretch therein and to the next body. v v

18. The method of treating a lengthy piece of textile material with liquid which consists in maintaining a substantially horizontal succession of back-and-forth-extending stretches of said material and meanwhile adsists in maintaining a substantially horizontal succession of back-and-forth-extending stretches of said material and meanwhile advancing the material lengthwise of itself and so that stretches thereof travel through a succession of liquid bodies and causing flow through the succession of bodies relatively contrary to the direction in which the material is advanced with respect to said succession of bodies.

21. The method of treating a lengthy piece of textile material with liquid which consists in training the same around a pair of spaced guides in coils each crossed between the guides and in a substantially horizontally extending succession and with the coils depending from the guides, and advancing the material lengthwise.of itself while the depending portions of the vcoils are immersed in liquid.

22. The method of treating a lengthy piece of textile material with liquid which consists in training the same around a pair of substantially horizontal and parallel guides in a coil crossed between the guides and having its stretches between the guides depending therefrom, wetting the material, advancing the material lengthwise of itself around theguides, and shifting the depending and downwardly traveling portions of theI stretches crosswise of their paths of advance while supporting the said portions from beneath, whereby said portions will be formed in piles.

In testimony whereof I `affix my signa` ture. f GEORGE W.' LANE.

vancing the material lengthwise of itself and so that stretches thereof travel through a suc- Y cession of liquid bodies and causing each body to flow in the direction-of advance of the stretch therein.

19. The method of treating a lengthy piece of textile material with liquid which consists in maintainin a substantially horizon-` tal succession of ack-and-forth-extending v stretches of said material and meanwhile ad- 

